This invention relates generally to the field of adjustable supports, and more particularly, is directed to a universal equipment leg suitable for use with commercial equipment of all descriptions, such as the type suitable for kitchen use in restaurants and hospitals.
It is the common practice to provide adjustable legs for commercial food service equipment that is designed for easy height adjustment and which includes sealing systems suitable to resist vermin infestation. The prior art support legs generally have been designed to comply with applicable NSF regulations and recommendations in this regard. The adjustable equipment legs heretofore developed have generally proved satisfactory in use and each usually includes an elongated body which may be fabricated of metal or plastic and within which is mounted an adjustable foot for height adjustment purposes.
In the case of some equipment designs, the leg body is provided with an integral mounting flange having holes therethrough whereby the leg can be bolted directly to the bottom of the equipment by employing suitable fasteners such as bolts or screws. In other types of equipment, it has been necessary to fabricate an adjustable leg which includes an upper threaded stud to threadedly engage a threaded socket which is provided in the equipment. Various manufacturers and even various pieces of equipment of the same manufacturer can employ different size threaded sockets. Accordingly, prior workers in the art have found it necessary to design, manufacture and stock numerous models of adjustable legs wherein threaded studs of various diameters and pitches can be provided and wherein flange type mountings can also be made available.
Of course, as the need for different adjustable support models to meet the various requirements of the equipment manufacturers increases, costs will also increase due to the larger number of molds, parts, storage requirements and increased design, engineering and testing expenditures. At the present time, so far as is known, there is no universal support design that can make a single equipment support leg compatible for use with most commonly employed equipment constructions.